Scenes of confusion, crowding and heated arguments unfolded at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur on Sunday after thousands of visitors who arrived to avail free entry announced for Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s birthday celebrations were denied access for failing to make prior online reservations, as reported in DT Next.
The State Forest Department had announced free admission to the zoo on June 21 and 22 as part of the Chief Minister’s birthday celebrations. The offer drew significant public interest, with thousands of families, youngsters and tourists planning visits to the popular attraction over the weekend.
However, the zoo administration subsequently clarified that only 20,000 visitors per day would be granted free entry and that access would be restricted exclusively to those who had completed online registration in advance. According to officials, all available slots for the two-day period were fully booked by Saturday evening, with nearly 40,000 visitors securing reservations online.
Following the closure of online registrations, authorities also suspended regular ticket sales and QR-code-based entry facilities for the two-day period.
Despite these restrictions, large numbers of visitors from Chennai, its suburbs and neighbouring districts arrived at the zoo on Sunday, many unaware that prior online registration was mandatory. Families carrying children, elderly visitors and groups of youngsters gathered at the entrance only to be informed that they would not be allowed inside.
The decision triggered widespread frustration, with visitors engaging in arguments with zoo officials and police personnel stationed at the entrance.
Several visitors expressed disappointment, stating that they were willing to purchase tickets but were not allowed entry because the facility had been reserved exclusively for those holding free online passes.
“We are six people. How are we supposed to go inside? Nobody said anywhere that online booking was mandatory. We brought our family here expecting to visit the zoo. It is very disappointing,” one visitor told reporters.
The situation led to overcrowding outside the premises as officials struggled to manage the unexpected influx of visitors.
The situation changed after Forest Minister R.V. Ranjith Kumar visited the zoo to review arrangements.
After assessing the crowd and the number of visitors waiting outside, the minister reportedly instructed officials to allow entry to all visitors who had arrived at the facility, regardless of whether they had completed prior online registration.
Following the intervention, authorities made additional arrangements to manage the rush. Separate parking facilities were established inside the premises, while additional parking arrangements were made for heavy vehicles and other categories of vehicles to reduce congestion around the zoo campus.
The episode has also sparked criticism over the manner in which the birthday-related free entry programme was organised.
The decision to suspend normal ticket sales and effectively reserve a major public facility for a politically-linked celebration is questionable and this was unnecessarily inconveniencing visitors who were willing to pay for entry.
According to reports, the cost of the free passes was being borne by a trust associated with the Forest Minister. While private celebrations and welfare initiatives are common, using government-run public infrastructure for political commemorations risks creating administrative confusion and setting an unhealthy precedent.
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